There is no way I would leave the ball there overnight, they cost too much. Since there will be no tension on the ball because of the slide ring, I could un-clip it and attach a large old lobster buoy in its place. Losing lobster and scup pots at Latimer's Reef is nothing new to anyone in the business. Everyone loses stuff at Latimer's. When the tide rips even LADY LYNN cannot find their gear because a combination of current, seaweed, and anything else a dragger might have busted off the bottom gets caught on the pot's rode and down she goes. Even heavy pots seem to have a mind of their own as they walk all over the place. When the tide slows, the buoys start to rise to the surface. Probably everyone in this form has driven over a partially submerged buoy. Many get so teed off at becoming afoul of a lobster pot that you cannot even see, they simply cut the hell out of the tackle. I lost too much gear at Latimer's Reef so I just go out with a couple of pots, watch them like mother hen watches her chicks, and then return with them. I drop them off in a non current area at Lord's point for safe keeping so they will be always visible but even then, there are some who just do not look where they are going. I lose stuff at Lord's point too, but nothing like at Latimer's. What probably happens is someone catches a scup pot because they were not looking where they were going or it was evening. The pot is so light, they can tow it for miles without even knowing it. When they finally realized they are dragging something, they either cut it off, or untangle it and try to drop it back down safely. Either way, it is very unlikely I will ever see that pot again. I do not think theft plays much of a role in the lost of my tackle (scup pots) as only commercial guys would want them. Lobster pots, however, are another story. |